Saffery Champness Trust Transformation Manager, Joe Cardoso-Smale, has become the first team member in the Guernsey office to become certified as Carbon Literate.
Joe (pictured), who is a driving force on Saffery’s volunteer ‘Green Team’ undertook the Carbon Literacy Project qualification to support the firm’s efforts in reducing its carbon footprint.
The qualification, which certifies individuals as ‘Carbon Literate Citizens’ explores the science behind climate change, social equity, and strategies for reducing your impact on the environment.
Joe said that the course gave him useful tools to help support other Saffery staff. He explained: “An important part of the course was learning how to effectively communicate the issue of climate change and what action individuals can take. When it comes to this issue, there is so much information out there it can be difficult to know where to start, but this course has provided me with the knowledge to help others understand the subject.
“We all have an impact on the environment, and we can all be doing more to help. I look forward to sharing the strategies I have learned with others to support them on their journey to living more sustainably, both within the office and at home”.
The private client firm has been taking steps to introduce greener working procedures and has also launched initiatives to encourage staff to think about their impact on the environment.
The Guernsey office is currently undertaking a ’10 in 10 Challenge’, with team members pledging to swap 10 commutes by car for alternative transport over a 10-week period. Running concurrently, the firm’s Geneva team is taking part in Saffery’s ‘Waste-free Wednesdays’ initiative, with staff aiming to reduce their reliance on single-use products in favour of eco-friendly alternatives.
Managing Director, Nick Batiste, said: “As a responsible business, we have made our commitment to act on climate change one of the priorities in our current business plan. We support all our staff in undertaking qualifications and were delighted to support Joe in completing the Carbon Literacy certification.
“We are actively monitoring our carbon emissions and reviewing our procedures to make positive changes to reduce the impacts of climate change. It is fantastic that so many of our team members have shown a real enthusiasm for embracing these changes and taking part in our initiatives. I look forward to seeing our journey to net-zero progress.”
